Magazine-firearm



No. 6l2,085. Patented Oct. Il, |898. T.'WRIGHT.

MAGAZINE FIREARM.

(Application med Sept. 10, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES:

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No. 6|2,085. Patented Oct. Il, |898.

` T. WRIGHT.

MAGAZINE FIREARM.

(Application Bled Sept, 10, 1897) WITNESSES: 6"

ATTORNEY me Nnnms Pneus co, PHoYoLnno.. wAsnwc-mw. n. c.

Nrrnn STATES ArrnNr erica.

THEODORF. IVRIGHT, OF BENTLEY CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAGAZINE-FIREARNI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,085, dated October1 1, 1898.

Application filed September 10, 1897 Serial No. 651,200. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, THnoDoRE WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bentley Creek, in the county of Bradford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMagazine- Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements inr magazine-firearms in which thecartridges are contained in a magazine in front of the stock, below thebarrel, and lifted into position for insertion into the barrel one at atime; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide ashorter and more compact tirearm, and, second, to provide a leveragesystem which will give a longer travel tothe cartridge-shifter, andthereby adapt this class of firearms to the very long cartridges newcoming into use. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illustratedin theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation withthe barrel in longitudinal section and the receiver cut away to show theoperating mechanism in closed and locked position; Fig. 2, a similarview showing the operating-lever at the first stage of its throw, thelocking-block having been dropped down and the cartridge-shifter aboutto be withdrawn; Fig. 3, a similar view showing the operating-lever atits'extreme throw, the cartridge-shifter completely withdrawn, and acartridge thrown up ready to be inserted into the barrel when theoperatinglever is drawn back; Fig. a, a cross-section on the line :n rcin Fig. l; Fig. 5, a cross-seetion on line 'y 'y in Fig. l; Fig. 6, adetail showin g the locking-block partly broken away to show the firingmechanism; Fig. 7, a longitudinal section on the line .e ,e in Fig. 3,and Fig. 8 a perspective View of the cartridgeshifter.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views, and the terms right, left, forward,77 and rear refertothe gun when held against the shoulder in position for ring.

The operating mechanism consists, mainly, of an operating-lever A forimparting motion to the parts; a cartridge-shifter or shuttle E V toextract the fired shells, withdraw the cartridges singly from themagazine P, and charge the barrel Q two coordinating levers D C toexaggerate the motion of the operatin g-lever and impart it to thecartridge-shifter; a connecting-bar B to connect the operatinglever withthe coordinating levers; a vertically-sliding locking-block G, whichalso acts las a carrier, shifts the firing mechanism, and

locks the gun; a locking-block lever F to raise and lower thelocking-block; a receiver R or framework of suitable shape to containthe foregoing parts, and a magazine P, which may be in one piece withthe receiver or made detachable, whichever is more desirable.

The operating-lever A is pivoted at 2 in the left Wall of the receiverR. It has two arms, the rear one having a tooth projecting at 3 toengage a notch 4L in the locking-block lever F. (See Figs. l and 2.) Theforward arm has a round cam 5 projecting from its lefthand side andengaging aslet 6 in the rear end of the connecting-bar B. Thetriggerguard of the operating-lever is provided with i a vertical slotat 7 to contain the trigger M when the locking-block is lowered and toretain and return it to its proper position for ring the arm whenclosed.

The connecting-bar B slides longitudinally backward and forward in agroove formed in the left wall of the receiver. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) Itis provided with three vertical slots 6, 8, and 9 cut in the directionsshown, the rear slot G, which receives the cam 5, departing from thevertical at its lower portion and following for a short rdistance theare described by the cam 5 when the finger-lever is turnedabout itspivot-pin 2.

The coordinating levers D C are pivoted to the left Wall of the magazineP on the outside at lO 10 a sufieient distance apart to insure clearingone another in their sweep. Cams 1l l1 are placed on the right side ofthe free or distal ends of these levers to engage slots l2 l2 eut in theleft face of the cartridge- 95 the two slots is prolonged downward toform a shoulder 14, which strikes the cams 13 13 of the cordinatin glevers when in their retired positions, as C in Fig. 1 and D in Fig. 3,and forces them into the slots in the connectingbar, as has occurred toC in Fig. 3, thus imparting motion to the levers and causing theirdistal cams 11 11 to be thrown into gear with the shifter E V. Theconnecting-bar in this manner has one or the other of the cordinatinglevers geared with it and the shifter always, and when the shifter is athalf-travel moving in either direction both levers are in equalengagement, the slots 8 9 in the connecting-bar and 12 12 in the shifterbeing placed at such distances apart that one lever does not becomedisengaged from the shifter until the other is fully in engagement,whereby a continuous and steady motion is imparted to the shifter. cutaway at 15, so as to allow either cordinating lever to drop out ofengagement with the shifter. The magazine is placed beneath the barrelQ, being a continuation of the receiver downward. It is shaped suitablyfor placing the cartridges one above another, as in other box-magazines,with this difference, that the rear wall 16 is sloped from abovedownward and forward to permit the cartridge-rims to overlap to the rearinstead of to the front, as is usual in magazines of this type. This isto provide for the cartridges being drawn to the rear after they havebeen fed into the shifter, as will presently appear.

No device for pressing the cartridges upward out of the magazine isoffered or shown, the gun mechanism being intended for and capable ofcombination with any of the types of box-magazines now in use. Betweenthe magazine and barrel a space or chamber W (see Figs. 3 and 7) isprovided in the receiver for the reception of the cartridge -shifterThis chamber may be closed laterally on either side by a swinging orsliding gate, (not shown,) which will open to permit the magazine to becharged from above when the shifter is thrown to the rear, as in Fig. 3.

The cartridge-shifter E is an L-shaped piece, the longer arm fittinginto the chamber V above the magazine. The inside of this arm is cutout, forming an oblong slot or crib X, open above and below, the insidewidth and height corresponding to the diameter of the cartridge to beused at its widest part or head and the length slightly exceeding thatof the cartridge. In the closed position of the rearm, as presented byFig. 1, this crib portion of the shifter lies directly above the openinginto the magazine, so that a cartridge from the magazine may be pushedup into it. The forward end of the shifter in advance of the crib issolid and has two vertical slots 12 12 out in its left lateral face forthe reception of the cams of thev coordinating levers. This solid endportion, by projecting forward over the magazine-opening when theshifter is The side wall of the magazine is drawn back, prevents theescape of a cartridge into the chamber W and the consequent blocking ofthe arm. The rear end of the shifter or rear wall of the crib isextended upward vertically at V and covers the breechopening or chamberin the barrel Q. The face of this breech-block V, which abuts againstthe barrel, is of the same Width as the cartridge-head and is rounded tocorrespond with it in outline at the top. It fits in a recess in thereceiver of similar outline and size. Let into the right-hand side ofthis breechblock at K is the usual spring-hook extractor to hook overthe head of a cartridge in the barrel-chamber and withdraw it when theshifter moves to the rear. On the opposite or left-hand side at I a longarm or lever for ej ectin g the shells is recessed into the breechblockand pivoted to it at the lower end. A horizontal rod I-I is fitted intoa suitablyshaped slot cut in the side of the shifter and hooks aroundthe lever I above its pivotal point, the forward end of the rod beingprovided with an outwardly-'proj ectin g lug at 17. When the shifter isthrown back and just be- ,fore the end of its travel, this lug strikes asuitably-located shoulder on the inside wall of the receiver, causingthe bar H to throw the lever I forward, which gives the shell a twist tothe right and ejects it through an opening 18, cut in the side of thereceiver. (See Figs. 2, 3, and 5.) A T-shaped slot 19 is cut through thebreech-blockV of the cartridge-shifter to allow for the passage of thehammer Il when theshifter is thrown forward, the locking-block G beingat that time raised, as shown in Fig. 3. A short firing-pin S is placedin the upper part of the breechblock at a suitable angle to connect witha second firing-pin T in the locking-block G. In the under edge of theshifter E, on the left side, is a longitudinal cut 20, having a shoulderat 21, from which point to the rear the cut is of less depth, as shown.A small latch J, pivoted in the receiver, has a slight projection, whichenters this cut, so that when struck by the shoulder at the forward endof the cut, as shown in Fig. 3, the latch is thrown into a notch 22 inthe locking-block and locks the block in place until the shifter hasbeen thrown forward again sufficiently for the shoulder 2l to strike theprojection and retire the latch. vThe locking-block isthen released, sothat it may be thrown down andk up again in the manner presently to beset forth.

The locking-block G lies back of and against the breech-block V of thecartridge-shifter, locking the shifterin place against back pressurefrom an exploding cartridge in the barrel. The locking-block slidesvertically in a groove cut in the right side of the receiver andcontains in a medial recess the hammer L sear N trigger M and triggerand scar 7 7 Db 7 u?) spring O. Asecond recess at the right of thisfirst :recess contains the mainspring U, the

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latter being connected to the hammer L by pin 23, projecting from theright side of the hammer through an annular slot cut through the partywall, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. The top of the locking-block isthrown upinto a corresponding recess in the top of the receiver, and itis slightly concaved for the reception of a cartridge when acting as acarrier. The hammer when not cocked projects above the locking-block.When the lockingblock is dropped, asin Fig. 2, just sufficiently low tobe cleared by the shifter E V in its rearward movement, the hammer iscaught by the two laterally-projecting ears 24 24, engaging the sides ofthe slot 19 in the breechblock V, and is forced backward to full-cock,where it is held by the sear N, the cartridgeshifter passing over it.The locking-block, then in its lowest position, lies in the hollow ofthe trigger-guard carried by the operatinglever, and the trigger passesthrough the slot 7 in the guard, as previously mentioned, and is thrownup out of the way thereby. The locking-block lever F is pivoted in theupper tang of the receiver and forms in part a movable portion of thetang, which drops down out of the way when the cartridge-shifter isthrown back. It also causes the cartridgeshifter at the end of itsbackward travel to raise the locking-block and elevate the cartridge inline with the barrel, since the short arm 25 is forced down as soon asthe rear end of the shifter passes the pivot-pin 26, the long arm thenassu ming the position shown in Fig. 3. Vhen the operating-lever isthrown back and the shifter forward, the tooth 3 encounters a suitably-inclined surface 27 on the downward projection of the lever F, forcingthe lever to throw the locking -block down again, so that the rear endof the shiftermay pass over it. The locking-block lever F is slotted, sothat it straddles the hammer, the distal ends 2S 28 of this forked leverbeing rounded, so as to slide properly in the slots 29 25), cut in eachcheek of the locking-block.

The operation of the firearm is as follows: After a cartridge has beenfired the parts of the mechanism will have assumed the position shown inFig. 1. The first movement of the operatinglever causes the tooth 3 toswing the lever F down, dropping the lockingblock to the position shownin Fig. 2. During this initial movement of the operating-lever the cam 5on its forward arm will have traveled through the curved portion of slot6 in connecting-bar B and that bar will have remained stationary. On thecontinued movement of the operating-lever the cam 5 will act on the rearwall of slot 6, imparting a backward motion to bar B. This bar in turnacts on the lever D, causing it to swing backward and starting thecartridge-shifter in its rearward movement. Next the shoulder 14 strikesthe cani 13 of the lever C, causing the lever to rotate and its cam 11to rise out of the recess l5 and enter the rear slot 12 in the shifterwhen in properalinement. The cam 11 on lever D now drops into the recess15, and the lever C carries the shifter to its extreme rearwardposition. The lever D becomes locked in the position shown in Fig. 3 byreason of the lower edge of the bar B bearing on the cam 13 and holdingthe lever with its cam 11 resting on the bottom of the recess 15. In thesame way the lever C becomes locked on the forward movement of theshifter, and neither lever can rattle nor get out of place. As theshifter travels backward it strikes the projecting ears of the hammerand throws it back to full-cock, where it is held by the sear N. Next inorder the lug 17 on the rod H strikes the shoulder on the inside of thereceiver, and the shell extracted from the barrel is expelled to theright through the opening 18. The rear end of the shifter now strikesthe arm 25 of the locking-block lever F, causing the lever to raise thelookin gblock and elevate the cartridge, which has been drawn from themagazine, into line with the barrel. This cartridge is supported by thelocking-block and hammer in grooves cut longitudinally along their topedges. The operating-lever is now swung back, but the locking-blockremains stationary by reason of the latch J having been brought intoengagement with the notch 22. on the forward side of the slot 0,sendingthe bar B forward again and imparting a corresponding motion tothe shifter E V. The breech-blockVof the shifter comes up against thecartridge and presses it into the barrelchamber, the cartridge beingsupported and guided by the locking-block until it has been run somelittle distance into the barrel. This movement of the shifter carriesthe breechblock V past the hammer, which, with its ears, passes out ofthe crib through the T- slot 19. Shoulder 21 now strikes the latch J,causing it to release the locking-block, which is immediately droppeddown out of the way of the shifter by reason of the tooth 3 striking theinclined surface 27 and forcing the lever F downward. When the shifterhas regained its original position, at which time a new cartridgesprings up into its crib, the operating-lever has still to complete itsbackward swing, during which the tooth 3 enters slot l and throws up thelever F,whicl1 in turn raises the locking-block and locks the gun withthe hammer at full-cock ready for firing. All this is done by one shortswing of the operating-lever forward and back, and it can readily beseen that the longest cartridges can be transferred from magazine tobarrel and fired in very rapid succession.

The gun is automatically cocked but, if desired, it maybe uncooked andcocked by hand when the parts have assumed their normal position afterinserting a cartridge.

The travel of the cartridge-shifter may be made greater or less byproperly proportioning the coordinating levers D C and the dis- The cam5 acts" IOO IIO

tances apart of their cams and this without changing the throw of theoperating-lever.

It will be therefore evident that rearms embodying my invention can bemade to accommodate a large range of cartridges and that they areespecially adapted for the longest cartridges. Moreover, the totallength of the iirearm is not in the least aected by the size of thecartridge to be used, since the position of the inner end of the barrelrelatively to the stock remains the same, the magazine and shifter onlybeing lengthened or shortened forward of the point of jointure of barrelwith receiver, according to the cartridges to be used. By myconstruction I also materially shortenA the length over all firearms inwhich a box-magazine is used, since I am enabled to locate the magazinedirectly beneath the breech end of the barrel.

I do not wish to confine myself to the application of my system ofcordinating levers to the precise form and arrangement of cartridgeshifter shown nor to boxmagazine arms alone, since I believe myself tobe the first to apply to magazine-firearms of any type a system wherebya small motion of the finger-lever can be exaggerated into any desirablelarger motion of the cartridge-shifter.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a lon gitudinally-movablecartridge-shifter, a vertically-movable locking-block, and a leversystem whereby the shifter is made to reciprocate and the locking blockto rise through the shifter in a slot provided therein to elevate thecartridge carried by the shifter into alinement with the barrel-chamber,substantially as described.

2. In a breech-loading firearm, the combination of a vertically-movablelocking-block, a trigger carried thereby, an operating-lever adapted tooperate the locking-block, and a finger-guard carried by theoperating-lever and provided with a slot wherein the trigger is guidedand actuated substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a box-magazine, anintermediate chamber beneath the barrel-chamber into which the magazineopens, a longitudinallymovable cartridge-shifter traveling in saidintermediate chamber across the mouth of the magazine, a crib in theshifter into which the cartridges are delivered from the magazine, abreech-block rising vertically from the rear end of the shifter,extracting and ejecting devices attached thereto, and a lever systemwhereby the shifter in one complete reciprocation is made to extract andexpel a spent -shell and transfer a fresh cartridge from magazine tobarrel-chamber, substantially as described.

4. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a longitudinally-movablecartridge-shifter, avertically-movable locking-block, a hammer pivotedin and projecting above the lockingblock coacting with the shifter to becocked during the backward travel of said shifter, and a lever system toimpart the required relative motions to the parts, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a longitudinally-movablecartridge-shifter, a vertically-movable locking-block adapted to risethrough the shifter when in its rearward position to elevate a cartridgecarried by the shifter, a hammer carried by the locking-block, ears onthe hammer engaged by the shifter during its rearward travel to cock thehammer and passing through a slot in the end of the shifter during itsforward travel, and a lever system to impart the required relativemotions to the parts, substantially as described.

6. In a breech-loading rearm, a compound lever system comprising areciprocating member of the breech mechanism, an operatinglever, twocordinating levers, a connectingbar to impart motion from theoperating-lever to the cordinating levers, and connections between thecordinating levers and the reciprocating member, whereby the cordinatinglevers are brought into successive engagement with the reciprocatingmember and the movement of the operating-lever is exaggerated in saidmember, substantially as described.

7. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a cartridge-shifter, anoperating-lever, two cordinating levers, and a connecting-bar to impartmotion from the operating-lever to the cordinating levers and throughthem to the cartridge-shifter, whereby the movement of theoperating-lever is exaggerated in the cartridge-shifter substantially asdescribed.

8. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a longitud in ally-movablecartridge-shifter, two cordinating levers pivoted to the receiver belowthe shifter, cams on the distal ends of the levers to engagesuitably-disposed slots in the side of the shifter, intermediate cams onthe levers, a connecting-bar provided with slots to engage saidintermediate cams, and an operating-lever having anarm provided with acam at its distal end to engage a slot in the rear end of theconnecting-bar to impart motion thereto, substantially as described.

9. In a magazine-firearm, the combination, with a cartridge-shifter, ofa locking-block, lock-container, and cartridge-carrier in one piece, anda lever system to impart the necessary relative motions to the parts,substantially as described.

IO. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a longitudinally-movablecartridge-shifter, a vertically-movable locking-block, a lever pivotedin the receiver at the rear of the locking-block in operative connectiontherewith, an operating-lever to impart motion to the shifter and todepress, release and elevate said lever, a rearwardly-projecting arm onthe lever engaged by the end of the shifter IOO IIO

In testimony whereof I have affixed rny sigto partially elevate thelooking-block when nature in presence of two witnesses.

the lever is released, and a downward projection on the lever providedwith an inclined surface engaged by the operating-lever in its lTHEODORE TRIGHF' 5 backward throw to again depress the loekingl'Vitnesses:

block while the shifter is returned to normal A. S. DIVEN,

C. TRACEY STAGG.

position, substantially as described.

